In response to the Fukushima disaster, Yama-san is running an election campaign with an anti-nuclear message. But unlike last time, he hasno money, no machine, no nothing. Does he even stand a chance?
“Peabody-winning Kazuhiro Soda’s latest film revisits the universe of Japanese electoral politics by following a former city councilman’s attempt to return to political office with a minimal, austere campaign.Read More »
LOVE, DEUTSCHMARKS AND DEATH is a documentary film about the independent, and as of yet, unknown music of emigrated Turkish guest workers and their grandchildren in Germany. In a musical and essayistic form, Cem Kaya shares insights into the unique liveliness of this forgotten subculture.Read More »
HIGH SCHOOL II is a film about Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS), a successful alternative high school in New York’s Spanish Harlem, 85-95% of whose graduates go on to four year colleges. The film illustrates the school’s emphasis on the “Habits of Mind” program (weighing evidence; awareness of multiple points of view; seeing connections and relationships; speculating on possibilities; and assessing values.) Sequences illustrating the school’s approach to learning include: classroom activities in the humanities and sciences; family conferences; discussions of race, class, and gender; faculty meetings; disciplinary problems; sex education; conflict resolution by students; and student council meetings.Read More »
An impassioned documentary about how the spirit of unity which buoyed Britain during the war years carried through to create a vision of a fairer, united society.
1945 was a pivotal year in British history. The unity that carried Britain through the war allied to the bitter memories of the inter-war years led to a vision of a better society. The spirit of the age was to be our brother’s and our sister’s keeper. Director Ken Loach has used film from Britain’s regional and national archives, alongside sound recordings and contemporary interviews to create a rich political and social narrative. The Spirit of ‘45 hopes to illuminate and celebrate a period of unprecedented community spirit in the UK, the impact of which endured for many years and which may yet be rediscovered today.Read More »
Law enforcement, the World Health Organization and volunteers join forces to combat the Taliban’s opposition to polio vaccinations in Pakistan.Read More »
Which Side Are You On? was commissioned for transmission as part of the South Bank Show (ITV, 1978-2009), but was not shown because of its “highly partial view on a controversial subject”, the miners’ strike of 1984. London Weekend Television, the commissioning company, felt that it was more of a political film than an arts film.
Loach’s brief was to make a programme that showed what the striking miners were writing and singing. He felt that this was what he delivered and was angered that the programme was banned on the basis that it overstepped official guidelines on political impartiality.Read More »
Persian Carpet is an omnibus film produced by Iran’s National Carpet Center and Farabi Cinema Foundation where 15 renowned Iranian directors contributed films on the subject of Persian carpet. Carpets are the reflection of the cultural and historical identity of Iran.
In this collection, each director was free in the choice of the subject and the form, through which they are supposed to express whatever they feel for Persian carpet. Different subjects, in different forms of video clip, video art, documentary, animation, and narrative, and in various cities of Iran have been presented.Read More »
In the 80s: new border barriers were needed in the GDR. Attempts to escape by car to the west increased. Metal workers of the IFA and state security work hand in hand for the defense against “terrorism” to prevent escapes. In conspiratorial work after work they worked on new barriers. Crash tests for counter-terrorism, collisions for emergencies. Cars rest there in the new barriers and leave total damage. The barriers were installed at all border crossing points from the mid-80s. “SCHRANKEN” tells of the motivation of those involved, of tragically ending escapes and gives insights into German engineering and military spirit. Archaeology GDR pure. A geneaology of the East.Read More »
